Green Phantom Pleco (L200)

Care at a glance

Overview

A medium pleco that needs a tank around 200 liters or larger with strong current. It is not a dedicated algae eater, so feed a protein-forward mix of sinking wafers, frozen bloodworms, mysis, and chopped shrimp with only the occasional spirulina wafer and blanched vegetable. Peaceful toward other fish but territorial with its own kind, so give each pleco its own cave.

In the wild

Lives in warm, fast-flowing stretches of the Orinoco among boulders and bedrock cracks where it grazes the biofilm and algae film off rock faces. Despite the green color and the algae-grazer reputation it takes a lot of animal protein in the wild, feeding on aufwuchs packed with small crustaceans and insect larvae. Give it strong flow, high oxygen, and plenty of rock and cave cover.

Good to know

Described as Hemiancistrus subviridis and sometimes sold as the lemon-spotted green pleco. The high-fin form traded as L200a is a different fish, Baryancistrus demantoides. Color ranges from olive to bright lime green with fine gold spotting.

Did you know

The bright green fades if the diet is too heavy on vegetables and light on protein, so a green phantom that turns dull usually just needs more meaty food.

Related species

• Blue Phantom Pleco (L128)

  Hemiancistrus sp. L128

  9.8 in (25 cm)66 gal (250 L)81–86°F (27–30°C)
• Orinoco Angel Pleco (L201)

  Hypancistrus sp. L201

  5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (115 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
• Snowball pleco (L102)

  Hypancistrus inspector

  5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (113 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Sultan Pleco (L264)

  Leporacanthicus joselimai

  8.7 in (22 cm)66 gal (250 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)

• 

  Flash Pleco (L204)

  Panaqolus albivermis

  5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  King tiger pleco (L066)

  Hypancistrus sp. L066

  5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)79–84°F (26–29°C)